If you want to find out which ones they are, just keep reading down below to check out their summaries and links to watch!
1. 24
Anyone who likes to watch movies and TV shows certainly knows about 24, a classic in this genre. The show is created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran and it has Kiefer Sutherland as the main character. It follows Jack Bauer, a counterterrorism agent, and each episode portrays an hour of his life. The show has received several awards and it features 192 episodes in total. Check it out right now!
2. Berlin Station
The second of the best spy shows is Berlin Station, created by Olen Steinhauer and starring Richard Armitage, Rhys Ifans, and Michelle Forbes. The show has three seasons in total. It follows Daniel Miller, a newly-arrived agent at Berlin’s CIA. He needs to discover the source of classified info that was leaked and that threaten the government, and in turn, he unveils a conspiracy. To watch it, follow this link!
3. Vagabond
One of the best international Netflix TV shows, Vagabond is South Korean in origin and it features Lee Seung-gi, Bae Suzy, and Shin Sung-rok in the cast. The show follows Cha Dal-gun, a stuntman who decides to investigate a plane crash that killed his nephew. In his investigation, he finds a secret agent who helps him in unveiling the mysteries. Check it out on Netflix!
4. Covert Affairs
Covert Affairs is another one of the best spy shows in our list, and it has Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham in the two main roles.
5. The Time in Between (El tiempo entre costuras)
The Time in Between is one of the several Netflix TV shows of Spanish origin. It is an adaptation of a Spanish book by the same name. It is set in 1934 and it follows a seamstress, Dolores, who’s forced to move away to Morrocco and she ends up becoming a spy for the Allied forces during the Second World War. Check it out right now!
6. The Blacklist
A criminal-police show that fits in among the best spy shows is The Blacklist, featuring Diego Klattenhoff, Ryan Eggold, and Harry Lennix in the cast. The show follows Raymond Reddington, an American ex-spy who has become one of the most searched people by the FBI. However, he now works with them! Go to Netflix to watch it!
7. Homeland
Another amazing American show is Homeland, developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa, based upon an Israeli show called Prisoners of War. It follows a CIA officer who has become paranoid about the return of her husband, who was held in captivity for eight years. The show thoroughly explores the fears and insecurities of the characters. Check it out!
8. The Spy
An Israeli miniseries, The Spy is directed and written by Gideon Raff and Max Perry. It has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with amazing actors. The show follows Eli Cohen, a department store employee who’s recruited to work for the Mossad, the country’s spy agency. If you want to watch it, follow this link.
9. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Ideal for those who like watching hero TV shows, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is another great option among the best spy shows. Created by Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen, it is a part of the MCU (Marvel cinematographic universe). It is set after what happens in The Avengers movies, where S.H.I.E.L.D. mobilizes its members to solve several cases relating to heroes. If you’re curious, check it out on Netflix!
10. A Very Secret Service
A French comedy show, A Very Secret Service is created by Jean-François Halin and it has Becker, Wilfred Benaiche, and Christophe Kourotchkine in the cast. The show follows André Merlaux in 1960, at the peak of the Cold War. He joins the French secret service where he needs to face several enemies, both foreign and bureaucratic in nature. To check it out, follow this link.
11. Archer
An adult animation created by Adam Reed, Archer currently has 11 seasons, and it has already been renewed for a 12th season. The show follows Sterling Archer, leader of a dysfunctional intelligence agency, along with seven of his colleagues. The show has received many awards and good reviews. Go to Netflix to check it out.
12. Inside the Mossad
One of the best documentaries in the form of a show on Netflix is Inside the Mossad, directed by Duki Dror and written by Yossi Melman, and Chen Shelach. For the first time, a dozen of ex Mossad spies reveal many secrets and their missions while they were in the agency. To check it out, go to Netflix right now!
13. Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan
Jack Ryan, or Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan is an American show based upon the characters in the books by Tom Clancy. It is created by Carlton Cuse and Grahan Roland.
14. Man to Man
Another of the best spy shows is Man To Man, another of South Korean origin. In the cast, it has Park Hae-jin, Park Sung-woong, and Kim Min-jung. The show follows a celebrity who needs a bodyguard. However, what he doesn’t know is that the person he has hired to do the job is a special agent with ulterior motives. Go to Netflix to see more!
15. Pine Gap
One of the few Australian shows on Netflix, Pine Gap was created by Greg Haddrick and Felicity Packard, and it has Mat King as the director in all of its episodes. The show is set in Pine Gap, the defense unit for the American-Australian alliance, where trouble arises when the agents start to work against one another. Check it out on Netflix.
So, did you like our selection of the best spy shows around?
Let us know in the comments your opinion about them, if you think we forgot about your favorite ones, or if we have included them. Don’t forget to also check out the 2021 anime list and the best anime of all time!